Phoenix was looking at Ashton with an unhappy face, while Ashton was pretending not to notice the look that Phoenix was giving him and walked towards the path that leads to his parked car.
They were done with their lunch and ready to leave the restaurant. The dishes that were prepared by Mrs Lin were so flavoursome and Phoenix could taste the freshness of all the ingredients that they had caught and picked, making the foods more delectable and moreish. There was nothing left on the plates once both of them have relished all the foods that was presented to them.
During the meal, Ashton was being attentive towards Phoenix. He would pick the dishes and put it on Phoenix's plate first and help with deboning the fish so Phoenix could easily eat it without choking. Phoenix was feeling that foreign feeling again when Ashton was putting all his attention on her during the meal, even abandoning his own self during the meal.
After they were done eating and ready to go, Phoenix went to Mr Lin to pay for the meals and the farmhouse experience, but Mr Lin told her that everything was already being paid by Ashton.
This was what led to Phoenix's current unhappiness.
'Isn't she was the one who was supposed to pay for the meal for making trouble for Ashton in Sunny Hill?'
Phoenix could no longer ignored this injustice!
"Mr Qin," Phoenix sternly called for Ashton, making Ashton halted his step.
"Yes, Ms Li?" Ashton turned around and gave Phoenix an innocent look, pretending that he was clueless with the situation.
"Mr Qin, I'm the one who is supposed to pay for the meal. Why did you pay for everything?" Phoenix looked sharply at Ashton, asking for his explanation.
Ashton was not supposed to be joyful at the moment, but somehow he was enjoying himself looking at Phoenix's angry face.
'She can make this kind of face, too. It's cute.'
Ashton didn't understand himself, but since the weekend at Sunny Hill, he liked to see the different expressions on Phoenix faces that she rarely showcased to others. Maybe that was how he slowly got interested in Phoenix.
"We did the whole 'full experience' and not just come for a meal. I don't feel it is right to make you pay for everything, as I'm the one who wanted to do the whole activity." Ashton gave his explanation.
"I don't mind paying for everything, Mr Qin. " Phoenix didn't want to back down from the issue.
"It's already done." Ashton shrugged, but not to make Phoenix uncomfortable and unhappy, he added, "How about this, we can go out another day for a meal and you can pay for that."
Phoenix contemplated for a while. 'Another meal? Mia and Tiana already make a huge deal out of one meal, what will they think if I went out for another meal with Ashton again?'
"You can choose the place," Ashton said, trying to make Phoenix agree with the arrangement. This was just one of his schemed to make Phoenix go out with him again and he already prepared different excuses to make Phoenix relented.
Seeing a sincere look on Ashton's face, she agreed to go for another meal on another day, "Fine. I'll pay for next time."
"Okay." Ashton put both his hands up to show that he agreed to that condition. "After you, Ms Li." Ashton gestured to her to walk first on the narrow road and he followed after her, smiling contentedly, looking at Phoenix's back. He then quickened his steps to walk beside Phoenix.
When they arrived at his car, Ashton opened the car door for Phoenix and let her sit comfortably before he went around to enter the driving side of the car.
When they walked out from the Lin's Farmhouse Restaurant, Mrs Lin gave Ashton a closed basket and when he entered the car, he put the basket safely in the backseat.
"What's in the basket?" Phoenix asked.
"Mrs Lin had made finger foods and snacks from the extra fish, vegetables and fruits that we had caught and picked."
Ashton was already planning something with the picnic basket, but he thought it was too early to tell Phoenix about it.
Ashton had already planned everything to prolong his 'meal' with Phoenix. The farmhouse experience was only the start, he had planned other activities to spend the whole day to be with Phoenix.
As Phoenix was not the one who liked to probe too much, she just accepted Ashton's explanation without asking anymore questions. She buckled her seat belt and waited for Ashton to start driving.
Without further ado, Ashton drove out from the place and onto the main road.
Five minutes into the drive, Ashton started a conversation with Phoenix.
"Where did you learn to fish? You seem like you are skilled in it."
"I'm not really that skilled, you just think too highly of me. I learned it sometimes during my teenage years."
"What do you think about the farmhouse restaurant and the activities today?" Ashton anticipated Phoenix's answer. He had thought long and hard about where to take Phoenix today. He could see that Phoenix was not like the usual heiress ladies who were seeking luxuries and glamorous things.
Ashton was so used to eating in high-end restaurants, even he felt like it was too plain and boring with that set up, and if he took Phoenix to one of those restaurants, he felt like people would start talking and he knew the consequences of that. Those nosy wealthy people would start paying attention to Phoenix and made trouble for her. Besides, there was still a threat that he wasn't able to uncover and he didn't want to give them any chance to hurt people around him anymore.
He found out about the Farmhouse Restaurant by a chance from his assistant and since the place needed to be booked in advance; he booked the whole place for half of the day to prevent other guests from being there at the same time as them.
He didn't know for sure, but he felt like Phoenix was more attuned to nature and physical activities and he wanted to see Phoenix in those elements. He was glad that he had taken Phoenix to that farmhouse restaurant. Even though it was not obvious, he could see Phoenix was more relaxed and enjoying herself in those activities, and now he wanted to hear Phoenix's opinion of the place.
"The farmhouse restaurant is gorgeous. The view and atmosphere are peaceful and breathtaking and I'm enjoying myself in those activities. Thank you, Mr Qin, for taking me there," Phoenix said with a subtle smile on her face.
"I'm glad. My assistant was praising the restaurant so much that it made me curious and wanted to experience it myself. I should thank you for coming with me." Ashton lied breezily.
'The meal was a success, and I managed to get another 'meal' with her.' He was so happy with the outcome.
"You haven't been to this area outside the city, right? How about we drive around here? There's a recreational park with a waterfall around an hour's drive from here. How about we go and have a picnic, since there's food and snacks that Mrs Lin had made for us? What do you say?" Ashton baited Phoenix with food and more nature views for his next planned activity.
True to Ashton's assumptions, Phoenix was really tempted to go and check out the waterfall and taste more of Mrs Lin's cooking, so she easily agreed with Ashton's suggestions.
With that, Ashton drove towards his next destination with a satisfied smile that he tried to cover by coughing lightly while clearing out his throat.